Q and A session with paul

 

Q: Paul, I understand that you were you born and raised in Baltimore? Do you have a Baltimore accent?

A: Yes, I’m a born and bred Baltimorian presently living with my spouse, Kristin, in Towson, a Baltimore suburb.  People from other places have mentioned that I have an “accent.” But this cannot be true as I have listened carefully to myself, family members, friends and coworkers and determined that none of us have any discernible “accent,” whatsoever.

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Q: The sales numbers for your first novel, “The Case Files of Roderick Misely, Consultant,” look pretty small – quite dismal, actually.

A: Well, that’s not quite correct. According to Amazon, it’s ranked 2,043,277 which is a very large number.

 

Q: Do you enjoy writing?

A: Yes, I do. I am mostly retired now and writing and playing music occupies much of my time.

 

Q: Could you describe your methods and techniques as a writer?

A: Yes. I think of dumb things and then I write them down.

 

Q: You mentioned music. Did you ever play in a band?

A: Yes. My best friend from high school who played keyboards, Bob, a work friend who played woodwinds, Rick, and I formed a ‘prog rock’ band in late 1974. We called the group Klangfarb, which means ‘tone color.’ Later, the remnants of that group morphed into a neo-psychedelic pop group known as United States of Existence. We had a couple 45s and a LP released back in the mid ‘80s. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q. Have you written anything else besides the two novels?

A. Until recently, as a fiction writer, just one or two unpublished short stories. But as an attorney, in the past I wrote constantly on legal matters: articles, seminar materials, memoranda, workbooks, etc. I fondly recall my 1988 monograph comparing Mexican and U.S. bankruptcy law which helped earn me an American Jurisprudence Award in my Comparative Law course at U.B. Law. It had 200 footnotes. Reasonably priced copies are available on a ‘first come, first served' basis. Act now. See the Work page. U.S funds, only. No crypto please.

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Q. You mentioned, "until recently." Is there breaking news?

A. Yes! I recently completed my follow-up novel and – good news! Several publishers have contacted me already! I didn’t even send them anything! (Social Media is incredible!) They all seem to have adapted a revolutionary new publishing model where the author retains control of their “intellectual property rights” and merely deposits an agreed-up sum with the publisher “in escrow” subject to some minor production and related absorption expenses. The author gets to keep the lion’s share of the royalties, which, presuming a successful book, easily compensates the author for the now fully absorbed escrow payment! And – even more exciting – none of the publishers require “exclusivity.” In theory, I can publish the same book with multiple publishers who have adopted this advanced model! I was about to choose one or two, but then received a disturbing email from my youngest cousin. Apparently, he’s being held hostage by a group of outlaw Quebec Separatists in Canada! (I didn’t even know he was in Canada.) So, I have to wire that money first before I commit to the one or two publishers. Stay tuned!

 

Q. What do you do for fun? What are your hobbies?

A. I enjoy taking my Prius out on Sunday afternoons for a weekly spin around the neighborhood. I try to avoid main roads and highways because other drivers show little respect for us Prius drivers. They seem to think that all Prius drivers are stoop shouldered, little 70 year old men with bad breath, tinnitus and body odor, who drive ten miles under the speed limit. It’s not true. I’m 67. I solved the ‘lack of respect’ problem by installing a set of Yosemite Sam mud flaps. But not every pensioner can afford those. So, as a side hustle, I’ve been selling, at a discount, those “student driver” bumper stickers to my friends at the senior center. A practical, yet lucrative, solution.

 

Q. How would you describe, "Clonk!"?

A. I would say it is a 'graphic novel, without the graphics.'

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Q. So you mean like a 'comic book without comedy?'

A. Ahh... er... now, wait a minute... let me change that answer...

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Q: How did you get so old? Does everyone lose their ‘looks’ when they get old? Will it be that bad for me?

A. Yes, it will, but this is why God gives us cataracts. He also gives us aging, balding men the gift of bountiful nostril and ear hair, again as compensation.

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Q: Any final words?

A: Yes! Please keep those questions coming in!